Just in:

Turkey targets Erdogan critics in Austria via informer network – lawmaker

By Shadia Nasralla
| VIENNA

ADVERTISEMENT

VIENNA An Austrian opposition lawmaker accused Turkey on Tuesday of operating an informer network via its embassy in Vienna that he said targets critics of President Tayyip Erdogan, promotes his policies and receives payments from Ankara.

Peter Pilz, from the Austrian Greens, said he had sent documents to the police detailing the activities of the ATIB, an umbrella organisation headed by the religion attache at Turkey’s embassy that oversees dozens of mosques in Austria.

“The ATIB umbrella group is an instrument of hard, ruthless and, in my view, legally unacceptable Turkish government politics in Austria,” Pilz told a news conference.

ATIB and the Turkish foreign ministry both rejected Pilz’s accusations. The ministry urged Vienna to avoid any measures that might harm bilateral ties, already strained by Austria’s opposition to Turkey’s bid to join the European Union.

Pilz said Muslim imams sent by Ankara to work for ATIB were providing information in particular about followers of U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Erdogan accuses of masterminding an abortive coup in Turkey last July.

ATIB also monitors Turkish Kurds, Turkish opposition politicians and journalists in Austria, Pilz said.

Such activities could breach Austrian law on intelligence operations and foreign financing of a religious body and also violate ATIB’s statutes as a registered society, he added.

The documents sent to the Austrian police reveal communication between the religion attache at the Turkish embassy in Vienna and Turkey’s state-run religious affairs directorate, or Diyanet, in Ankara, Pilz said.

DENIAL

In a statement, Turkey’s foreign ministry said: “We absolutely reject these allegations. We urge Austrian officials to act with reason and to refrain from statements that would harm Turkish-Austrian relations and the peace of the Turkish community in Austria.”

ATIB said in a separate statement that as an Austrian body it did not tolerate any foreign interference.

Spokesmen for Austria’s Chancellery and interior ministry, which oversee the implementation of the relevant laws, said their experts were looking into the matter. The file has not yet reached the prosecution, a spokeswoman said.

In a similar case, Germany’s domestic spy agency launched an investigation last month into possible spying by Turkish clerics following a complaint by a German Green politician.

A spokesman for Austria’s foreign ministry said the Turkish embassy had informed it last week that its religion attache, Fatih Mehmet Karadas, would end his activities in Vienna “soon”, without giving a reason. The embassy had no immediate comment.

Karadas told an Austrian newspaper in an interview published on Sunday that ATIB had not investigated people’s private lives, but said it had a duty to check whether people of Turkish origin in Austria had been “radicalised” by Gulen.

“That’s why it’s legitimate for us to do research and deliver reports in order to protect our fellow citizens and to protect the Austrian people,” Karadas said.

Gulen denies any involvement in last summer’s coup attempt, in which at least 240 people were killed.

Since the failed coup Turkey has arrested tens of thousands of people over suspected ties to Gulen in a wide-ranging crackdown criticised by Austria and other EU nations.

(Reporting By Shadia Nasralla; additional reporting by Tulay Karadeniz in Ankara; Editing by Gareth Jones)

-Reuters


Notice an issue?

Arabian Post strives to deliver the most accurate and reliable information to its readers. If you believe you have identified an error or inconsistency in this article, please don't hesitate to contact our editorial team at editor[at]thearabianpost[dot]com. We are committed to promptly addressing any concerns and ensuring the highest level of journalistic integrity.


ADVERTISEMENT
Just in:
DHL reaffirms commitment to Malaysia’s economic growth, identifies opportunities through Strategy 2030 // ISCA and SHICPA Sign MOU to Strengthen Support for Accountancy Professionals and Firms in Shanghai // PROPEL with Singlife Wins Prestigious ‘Insurtech Initiative of the Year’ at the 10th Insurance Asia Awards // Boutique Dining Giant Tashas Accelerates Global Roll‑Out // Grok Unleashes Antisemitic Rant, Praises Hitler on X // Digital Toro: Lamborghini’s Temerario Charges into Metaverse // UAE Authority Rejects Claims of Lifetime Golden Visa // Al Ansari Exchange Technical Glitch Sparks Expedited Recovery Efforts // Parsons to Steer Dubai Metro Blue Line Rollout // Abu Dhabi Chamber’s new strategy helps membership grow to 157,207 // Dubai Ultra‑Luxury Property Boom Shows No Slowdown // Gulf’s Mega‑Fund Exits Bank of America Stake // XI BRICS no show: Strategic shift or silent warning? // What Should You Look Out for While Searching for the Best Creative Agency in Dubai? // What the new Bitcoin bull market means for the UAE // Election Commission Violates Its Core Constitutional Responsibility, Acts Whimsically // Iran’s Oil Surge Defies Conflict and Sanctions // Proscenic Launches Major Prime Day 2025 Sale with Up to 40% Off Best-Selling Vacuums Starting at €89 // Affordable Birthday Bouquet Options Under AED 150 // Rhenus 4PL Solutions Brings Digital Logistics Expertise Support To The Circular Economy Initiative Of Looper Textile Co. And REMONDIS //